Gameplay Overview

Health: 1000

Kyo Kusanagi is and always has been one of the poster boys of the King of Fighters series ever since his debut in KOF94. Coming back once again as playable character, Kyo sports most of his recognizable moves while having a lot of changes done to him to fit the King of Fighters XIV game. This time around, Kyo is utilizing his fighting style based more or less on how he fought in KOF98. Whereas, in KOFXIII, there were in fact two Kyo versions, one of which were available via DLC purchase. The default Kyo in XIII was centered on the fighting style he started off with, while NESTS Kyo utilized the famous rekkas and the KOF98 approach (while still dressed in his NESTS saga outfit. The fighting style in question, originates from KOF96 when he began using flame laced punching attacks for elaborate rekka follow ups).

Once again, Kyo retains most of his moves from former KOF games, sporting a nice close to midrange game. The main idea of Kyo in KOFXIV is to take advantage of well-placed normals and jumping normals for defensive measures and getting in on the opponent to conduct a barrage of violent attacks with the use of Kyo's rekkas and his juggle combos off of his upkicks (qcf+K~K). Another thing to notice about Kyo is that his EX moves are accessible through MAX mode, much like every other character, thus the players needs to understand how to utilize the said EX moves in order to effectively dish out damage. As expected, Kyo has relatively good damage output and excels pretty well at air juggles as he normally does. He also has a new rekka follow up from his qcf+A (Aragami) where he can perform a low flame laced punch. This will augment his potential mix-up game from the rekkas he already has at his disposal, as he now conduct lows into overheads and vice-versa, along with delayable inputs against a defending opponent. Otherwise, they are also very useful in combos. Another thing to understand is that most of Kyo's normals remain the same but with some subtle differences from past games, which is to be expected. For example, close st.C now hits twice and you can only cancel the first hit. With little things like this in mind, along with the general concept of Kyo's game play, the KOF player should have a pretty good time adjusting to his iteration in KOFXIV as he is a very fun character to play.

Normals

st. B: Performs a side kick with his inner leg. Best used as a long range ground poke.

st. C: Does a backfist motion towards the opponents facial area. Whiffs on some crouching opponents. Can be used for stopping hops but isn’t whiff cancellable.

st. D: Performs a roundhouse kick, jumping slightly off of the ground in place. Has low body invincibility against some sweeps and ground skimming projectiles. Great to use as a ground poke.

Close

cl. A: Kyo will elbow the opponent with his outer arm. Very good for close range hit confirms as it hits mid. This move will chain into other lights and can also cancel into special moves. This move will also chain into command moves.

cl. B: This is a low kick done with Kyo's inner leg. Special cancellable. However, it is not chain cancellable to other normals.

cl. C: With this move, Kyo will perform a uppercut motion with his outer arm. Unlike past iterations however, this move will actually hit twice. Only the first hit will cancel into special moves and chain into command moves. The second hit is only super cancel-able. Close C can be useful for conducting Max Mode combos, however. It is also a pretty good vertical anti-air against opponents jumping close to, or above Kyo.

cl. D: This close heavy kick is good to link into after a max mode cancel for max damage. Starts up slower than cl.C.

Crouching

cr. A: This crouching punch is a special cancel-able move that can be chained into df+D for a full combo confirm. Chain cancellable to other normals.

cr. B: Great pressure tool and hits low. One of his main go-to pressure tools for offense. Allows you to confirm into cl.C if done close enough. Chain cancellable to other normals.

cr. C: Great for anti-airing jump-ins, and stands up crouching opponents. Special cancellable.

cr. D: This sweep is special and super cancel-able on block and on hit. Can be whiff cancelled into specials.

Jumping

j. A: A jumping elbow attack that can be used for air-to-air situations.

j. B: A jumping knee attack that can cross up and can be used for jump-ins or hops to start combos.

j. C: This jumping punch has a higher aim than jump B. Good to use as a jump-in attack and to jump away with defensively.

j. D: Great to use as an anti-air as a neutral jump (or hop), or jumping towards the opponent as an air-to-air attack. Whiffs on crouching opponents if performed too early during the hop or jump.

Blowback

st. CD: A powerful shoulder attack that is whiff cancel-able into specials and command normals. Causes grounded opponents to wallsplat.

j. CD: This jumping shoulder attack that can be used as a pressure tool if used during hops. Can be used as an air-to-air, but it lacks horizontal range.

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Throws

Hatsugane - (b/f+C) close

Kyo grabs the opponent, then elbows them in the back. The opponent lands close to Kyo; at the range of where the second hit of df+D hits them

Can be broken

hard knockdown

Issetsu Seoi Nage - (b/f+D) close

Kyo shoulder throws the opponent, then elbow drops them. The opponent lands a bit farther away from Kyo compared to his b/f+C throw.

Command Moves

Can be chained off of heavy standing normals such as St.C to maximize damage (loses overhead property)

88 Shiki - (df+D)

Kyo crouches down to release two low sweeping kicks

Hits low

Typically used to get good conversions off of low confirms and MAX Mode confirms

Special cancel-able only on the first hit (on block and hit)

Super cancel-able on the first and second hit

Geshiki Naraku Otoshi - (down back/down/df+C) (in the air)

While in mid air, Kyo performs a double hammer punch that swings down

Hits overhead and has a strong cross-up hitbox.

A good jump normal that can out-prioritize some anti-air attempts with normals

Similar to Iori, Kyo can cancel the animation of his backdash with j.2C. This allows him to cover back distance much faster than normal backdash.

Hard knockdown on airborne opponents

Special Moves

100 Shiki • Oniyaki - (dp + A/C)

Kyo performs a flaming, rising, spinning, back hand punch

The light punch version has 4 frame startup (-27 on block and launches on hit).

Good for Anti-airing opponents and great for converting & super cancelling into Kyo's qcb,hcf+LP/HP super.

The heavy punch version has 7 frame startup (-35 on block and launches on hit). Can be used as a go-to reversal because of its full-body invincibility for a short amount of time. Deals more damage than the LP version when all hits connect and it's also good for anti-airing opponents.

1st hit super cancel-able

Both versions punish-able if blocked or whiffed.

EX: Has full auto-guard, and causes a soft knockdown.

R.E.D. Kick - (rdp + B/D)

Kyo performs a gravity defying flip kick.

Light version has 20 frames startup and can be used to hop over fireballs.

Heavy version has 35 frames startup and goes higher and further.

Light version is used as a combo ender after qcf+K, K

Hard knockdown

EX: Provides a ground bounce on hit, making it a strong combo tool.

75 Shiki • Kai - (qcf + B, B/D, D)

A double kick move that launches for combo followups.

Light version has 14 frame startup (-21 on block and -19 on hit)

Heavy version moves forward first and has 20 frame startup (-21 on block)

Soft knockdown

EX: the EX version is used in a similar way, and launches even higher.

75 Shiki • Kai (Follow Up) - (B/D)

You can delay the second kick for more juggle height for certain combos. But the opponent can try to reversal or roll in-between the kicks.

114 Shiki • Aragami - (qcf + A)

A flaming hook punch and rekka starter.

11 frame startup (-6 on block and -4 on hit) And has armor properties (can absorb an attack)

Not recommended as a reversal, since armor doesn't kick in immediately and slow startup. Best used as a mid-screen poke and/or negating projectiles.

All follow ups below can be delayed.

128 Shiki • Konokizu - (qcf + A/C)

A flaming uppercut after the flaming hook punch.

8 frame startup (-14 on block and launches on hit)

Super cancel-able, can be confirmed into both supers.

127 Shiki • Yanosabi(1) - (A/C)

A flaming downward elbow after the flaming uppercut.

10 frame startup, -11 on block

It is a true blockstring after Konokizu, hits overhead and gives a hard knockdown.

(delay the second hit of the qcf+D>D for qcf+A to connect as high as possible. Use the shorcut hcb,f+A~hcf+P do super cancel the dp+A into qcb~hcf+P smoothly. Hold the qcb~hcf+P briefly enough for dp+A can juggle afterward.)